EPA awards grant to cut plastic consumption

By: Jeremy Carroll

October 12, 2012

WASHINGTON (Oct. 12, 12 p.m. ET) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has given the Product Stewardship Institute a $164,000 grant aimed at reducing plastic waste at three California universities as a pilot program.

The nonprofit said it would reduce packaging waste in student centers, cafeterias, dining halls and fast food restaurants at the Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara and San Diego campuses of the University of California.

The goal of the project is to reduce the use of disposable plastic bottles by 40 percent and reduce the use of polystyrene by 80 percent. The institute will analyze the data and publish results of the pilot program so other universities can adopt similar practices.